


Five Times Cat Grant Courted Kara Danvers and One Time She Succeeded

by DoreyG



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: 5 Times, Boundaries, Character Development, Competency, Denial of Feelings, Developing Relationship, F/F, Mother-Son Relationship, Pining, Post-Series, Relationship Negotiation, Romantic Gestures, Secret Identity, Secret Identity Fail, Secrets, Superheroes, Trust
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-11
Updated: 2016-07-11
Packaged: 2018-07-16 05:11:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7253809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DoreyG/pseuds/DoreyG
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kara Danvers is Supergirl.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Five Times Cat Grant Courted Kara Danvers and One Time She Succeeded

**Author's Note:**

  * For [navaan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/navaan/gifts).



> It doesn't come up that much in the story, but a slight deviation is that neither Kara/Adam or Kara/Jimmy happened in canon in this case.
> 
> Hope you enjoy! I really liked your prompts, and it was a great chance to write this pairing. :D

1.

Kara Danvers is Supergirl.

She's known it for a while, a little longer than a while if you count the first abortive discovery. Granted, Kara did almost have her fooled for a time - the whole shapeshifting doppelgänger thing was smart, and hard to work past until she definitively met the shapeshifting doppelgänger in person - but she worked past it eventually and inevitably. Kara Danvers, her former assistant and almost friend, is Supergirl. Undeniably and unavoidably _Supergirl_.

The only problem is, she seems somewhat reluctant to admit it.

It's obvious, so obvious that _embarrassing_ is the best adjective to describe it, but still Kara seems determined to entirely ignore the caped elephant in the room. She's given the woman ample opportunity to come clean, private office conversations and flights above the city and intimate meetings upon balconies, but still the information fails to be passed between them. Kara keeps acting like she's just a slightly ditzy office assistant, Supergirl keeps acting like she's an alien hobo with no fixed abode and the both of them keep acting like they have no link whatso _ever_.

Forget obvious, it's starting to become _annoying_. She knows that it went a touch badly last time, that maybe her knee may have jerked _just_ a little, but she thinks it should be obvious just how much she's changed since then. She's kept her numerous positive attributes, of course, but she likes to think that she's quite obviously developed into a woman with a far more nuanced view of the situation. Honestly, it would take a complete and utter idiot to miss the change. And Kara Danvers, though many things, is most certainly not an idiot.

...Just oblivious, apparently. Or plain stubborn.

She's starting to think, sitting in her office and easily keeping an eye on several news feeds at once, that maybe more deliberate action is needed. She's been patient, she's been thoughtful, she's even been _considerate_ of Kara and her ridiculous stubbornness. But her patience has a limit, even when it comes to Kara, and she's not sure how much longer it can last. This secret is hanging between them, heavy like a stone. She wants it _gone_ , before the weight of it destroys the careful trust built up between them.

But how to do so? Kara is, as established, not an idiot and so deserves a little more thought than the usual set of fools she busies her days with. She deserves a plan, a plot, a intricate design more commonly found in plays by Shakespeare. She needs to be pushed, but delicately so. She needs to be made to feel strong and respected, but also like she can show some weakness. She _needs_ -

Huh. A hulking slime monster appears to be dissolving cars a few blocks down from CatCo.

...She smirks, slowly. Takes her phone off its hook, and rises from her desk. It's a risky idea, sure, but if it's good enough for Lois Lane and _her_ Kryptonian then its most definitely good enough for her.

 

-

 

"Ms Grant-" Kara starts angrily, catches herself at the last minute with an annoyed huff, "Cat. That was an _extremely_ bad idea. You could've gotten yourself killed! I don't care how much you wanted to get a good scoop, it was reckless and..."

"I didn't want to get a good scoop," she interrupts, adjusting herself in Kara's arms. Thinks for a long few seconds, as the woman stares down at her in confusion, and then shrugs, "well, I didn't only want to get a good scoop. It was important to get the first real word on Decay - formerly known as Daniel Pendergast, researcher at one of those fad institutes - but that certainly wasn't the _only_ reason I was down there."

"I... Oh," Kara gives a confused swallow, slowly tilts her head, "wasn't it?"

"My dear Supergirl," she says affectionately, deciding to use the superhero codename for now. Quaint and most definitely foolish, but she doesn't exactly want to shock the woman while they're flying over the city, "I wanted to _see_ you. It's been a little while, I thought we should catch up."

"Catch up-?" Kara shakes her head, seeming to get annoyed again. Little matter, her arms still remain tight, "Cat, if you wanted to catch up you could've just _called_ me. If you'd just said my name, I would've come to the balcony and-"

"But it always feels so much more _intimate_ , when you're saving me from the monster of the week," she interrupts again, and watches with a certain amount of pleasure as the annoyance continues to spread across Kara's face. She's so very expressive, even more so when she's being Supergirl and not meek aspiring journalist Kara Danvers, "and, besides, I don't know your name."

And the annoyance is immediately halted by a resurgence of the confusion, Kara's entire expressive face wrinkling like she's not quite sure how to respond to that, "uh, Cat-"

"Your first name, I mean," she carries on quickly, having already made the decision to make this as easy as possible for Kara. Still patient, still thoughtful, still even considerate. Really, she deserves an extra latte after all this effort, "your real one. I know you as Supergirl, of course, but to call you that after all we've been through seems so... Distant."

Kara stares at her silently, wide eyed. And for a moment she thinks that this'll be it, that she'll immediately get what she wants, that it'll be another victory for Cat Grant and onwards to the next...

"I just want to know the real you."

"Uh," and Kara's nose wrinkles again, she shakes her head and lands on the balcony with a level of professional dismissiveness that she just _must've_ picked up from her, "Supergirl _is_ my real name, Cat. Are you sure you're feeling quite right, after Decay grabbed you? I'd suggest getting yourself checked out for concussion as soon as possible, I'm sure there's the number of a doctor somewhere around here..."

 

\--

 

2.

The problem with things that are good enough for Lois Lane is that they're good enough for _Lois Lane_. The woman may well be a talented writer, with a sharp mind and an admittedly fabulous fashion sense, but she has strange ideas about many things. Her plans, when she actually bothers with them, lack a certain amount of _finesse_. Her ability to think things through is less than perfect in numerous ways.

A different tack is most definitely needed.

She thinks through it for a while, still absently watching the social media feeds in her office. Kara is smart, and so deserves a slightly more intelligent plan. She could play the long game, subtly drop hints for months while worming her way ever further into Kara's favour until the woman has no real option but to tell her...

But she's already been trying that, with few results to show for it. She could be patient, subtly step up her hinting, but she's exhausted her limited reserves of such already. No. She wants something quick, something sharp, something that involves action. She wants Kara to just tell her the obvious news about Supergirl, and then for them to get on with their entirely important lives with no further delay.

Maybe, just maybe, the solution isn't to come at the Supergirl side of things. Maybe she can just manage an honest chat with Kara as _Kara_ , carefully manipulate them into a situation where the most sensible option is just to tell her the truth. _Maybe_...

A giant purple man seems to be prowling threateningly around downtown. The plan is only half formed in her head, but comes together completely as she watches him glare in the direction of a perfectly innocent looking car. 

She's good at turning situations to her advantage, good at using her words to encourage those around her to choose the options that are best for them. This, she decides as she springs to her feet and heads in the direction of Kara's new office as fast as she can, is going to be _no_ exception.

 

-

 

"Kara!" She cries, managing to stop the wonderful woman in question just as she attempts to crash out of the door, "so glad to have caught you!"

"Uh," Kara says, the first two buttons of her shirt obviously undone, and comes to a reluctant halt just before she crashes into her, "Ms Grant! It's wonderful to see you, really, but this is a bad time..."

"Nonsense," she offers grandly, and even goes so far as to advance into the office. Giving Kara no option but to back away slowly, frustration flashing briefly across her face in a way that'd be adorable if she hadn't forcibly removed that word from her vocabulary several decades ago, "I've checked your calendar, you have no meetings for the rest of the afternoon."

"...I forgot that Winn had got those all online!" Kara smiles through gritted teeth, so falsely optimistic that it warms even her cold dead heart, "you're right, I don't have any _official_ meetings. But-"

"Then you can afford a brief chat!" She interrupts, just as bright, and maintains a bright smile as she walks over to the other chair in Kara's office and drops herself cheerfully down. A power move, one that even somebody like Supergirl just _has_ to be susceptible to, "you know, unless you have some _non_ -official business to get to."

"Ms Grant," Kara groans, anxiety finally and _beautifully_ shattering through her eternal projection of cheeriness, "an extremely grey, extremely strong, _extremely_ dangerous alien is currently attacking downtown."

"Oh," She blinks for a second, makes a show of rising... And then immediately drops herself back down into the chair, smiles beatifically as Kara barely manages to suppress a frustrated noise, "he looked more purple on my monitors, I have to admit. I was thinking of calling him Appex, in the official copy. We need more villains starting with an 'A', it makes them appear more forward."

"More-?" Kara shakes her head, bites her lip for a long second and then pleadingly steps forwards, "I really have to go, Ms Grant."

"Because of him?" She asks, and watches Kara's eager nod with some interest. She's always so eager, be she mild mannered Kara Danvers or truly heroic Supergirl. It's... Not adorable, but charming in a way that she can't help but notice, "but, Kara, what on earth could _you_ do against a creature like that? You may have a lot of talents, even beyond the world of fetching coffee and looking good no matter what hairstyle you wear, but I don't think you can face down a super-strong purple-grey man dedicated to crushing cars."

Kara opens her mouth, on the point of frantic-

"Unless there's something you're not telling me," she says deliberately, and smiles as Kara slowly closes her mouth, "of course."

"...I only wanted to get down there to write an article on him," Kara mutters slowly, staring at her with wide eyes. For the first time she notices how blue they are, even dulled behind those glasses. Almost the colour of the sky, bright and hopeful and so beautiful that it really is a wonder that she doesn't have droves of admirers falling at her feet, "a first look sort of thing? I know how keen you are on getting the scoop as quickly as possible, so I just thought-"

"That you'd run down into the thick of action, as quickly as possible, and get yourself killed?" She frowns, finding herself oddly displeased by the idea. Leans forward in her chair to hide the brief twinge, and plays her trump card, "didn't you tell me, just a few days ago, that _I_ couldn't throw myself into the thick of danger without any regard for my personal safety? To do the same thing so soon after seems a little hypocritical, _Kara_."

The woman's jaw drops slowly open. The woman's eyes, such a lovely shade of blue, somehow manage to go even wider, "I... Ms Grant, I never said _anything_ like that to you."

"Didn't you?" She tilts her head in mock thought for a long moment, leans back in her chair and pays intense attention to the way Kara's eyes track her, "how peculiar. It must've been somebody who looked _exactly_ like you, then. Somebody wearing a charming combination of red and blue, somebody..."

Kara's mouth very slowly closes, Kara's eyes take on a slightly shifty expression as if she's thinking things through. And she thinks, for a long moment, that this is going to be _it_. That Kara is going to disclose her superhero identity, run off to save the world, return with a new respect in her eyes and allow things to get back to normal...

And then her pocket beeps, loud and urgent. Kara blinks, slowly, then draws out her phone in one surprisingly quick motion and starts to read. Her face goes pale almost immediately, her stomach drops just as quickly, "M-Ms Grant, I'm _so_ sorry but my sister is down there and-"

She bites down on a sigh, because she's not a _complete_ monster no matter what Perry White may think. Nods a quick dismissal, and watches as Kara downright _bolts_ out of the door and off to secretly save the day. Without even a backwards glance, without even the slightest _hint_ of being willing to reveal her not-so-secret identity and allow them to all get on with their lives.

This may well require more thought.

 

\--

 

3\. 

"Uh... Mom?"

Unlike most people, she's always been a fan of matters that involve a little more thought. While many seem to collapse under the very _idea_ of effort, she's always leapt joyously up to the plate with her arms open wide. The whole thing is thrilling to her. The considerations, the tactics, the numerous charts needed to bring things to a satisfactory conclusion. Easy things have never been able to captivate her for long, and she's secretly _thrilled_ that Kara is proving no exception to the rule.

"Carter?" Well, largely thrilled. It's a little hard to be a hundred percent enthusiastic, when your son is standing in the doorway and staring at you like you're a madwoman. She clears her throat, rises to her feet and attempts to plaster a stern expression upon her face, "shouldn't you be in bed? It's a school night, and I won't have you falling asleep at your desk-"

"I was just getting a drink," Carter, not at all scared of her, simply shrugs and takes another step into the living room. His eyes track over the piles of paper, the numerous signs that maybe she's gone just a _little_ overboard "...Mom, why are there so many pictures of Supergirl in here?"

She stares sternly for a long few moments more, and then lets out a low sigh. Carter is far more responsible than she ever was at this age, one night staying up a little later than usual is hardly likely to turn him from a sweet boy into a raging monster, "you know how many stories I can get out of Supergirl. I have to keep up with her latest exploits, or get left behind."

Carter stares at her in silence for a long few moments, a somewhat dubious expression in his eyes.

"...And maybe there are a few more personal reasons," she sighs, shifts sideways a little on the sofa and gestures for him to come over. He settles besides her patiently, comfortable here even if he hasn't quite figured out how to be anywhere else, "you know that I have a close relationship with Supergirl, right?"

Carter nods slowly, looking thoughtful, "yeah. Not that you use it in cool ways, though."

"Cheeky monkey," she chides, narrowly managing to hide her smile, "I've known her ever since she first appeared, and decided that I was the first person she'd grant an interview to. We're not friends, as such, but I'd go as far as to say that I'm one of the people that knows her best... Including her secret identity."

If she's expecting awe, or even the slightest show of _shock_ , at that proclamation she's sorely disappointed. Carter stares at her for a long few moments, still thoughtful, and then gives her a small smile, "and that's a problem?"

"Not really," she admits, bites her lip for a long few seconds as Carter stares at her expectantly, "well, apart from for _me_. I know, she may well _realize_ that I know... But she won't confirm it."

Carter stares at her for another long second, smile lingering on his lips, "you think that she doesn't trust you."

"Not that it really matters," she huffs. Hesitates, and then lets out a gusty sigh and shakes her head. She's never much cared for the opinions of others, but somehow Kara manages to get past her every single boundary, "but yes, maybe. She talks about how I'm a mentor for her, she tells me how important my advice is, she practically _worships_ me at every single turn... But she won't trust me with something as simple as this."

"Maybe it's not that simple, to her," Carter says, oddly wise for a teenage boy. Thinks briefly, and then leans over to gently touch her hand, "look, mum, if you really want Kara-"

They both freeze for a second. Carter wide eyed, her surprised and utterly _delighted_.

"...Um, pretend I didn't say that?" Carter mutters, blushing blotchily in a sad little glimpse of what he's like with everybody but her, "yeah. If you really want _Supergirl_ to tell you her secret identity, you have to prove that you can be trusted."

"I _can_ be trusted-"

"But does she know that?" Carter presses, stares at her levelly until she shuts up and actually starts _considering_ the problem again as opposed to just whining over it, "like, the last time you found out you tried to _fire_ her. I'd be a bit nervous, if you tried to fire me every time I trusted you with something."

"I'd never try to fire you," she reassures him absently, still thoughtful. She can't believe that she's even considering this, but desperate times call for desperate measures and if none of her other plans are working... "Alright, then, Carter. What would _you_ recommend I do?"

"Well," Carter says thoughtfully, seeming as pleased as _punch_ at this opportunity to contribute, "you know those movies we've been watching, those old ones with Matthew McConaughey in them? _They_ recommend making a big gesture, to prove that you can be trusted and that you're truly worthy and that everything will turn out alright in the end."

She opens her mouth, to protest that those are _romantic_ movies and slightly terrible and that it's not like that at all... And then slowly closes it again, considers with her son looking surprisingly eager at her side, "go on."

 

-

 

"Oh!"

"Hello, Kara," she says cheerfully, and hands over a cup of hot coffee while the woman is busy staring at the sudden garden that has sprouted in her office, "sorry, I let myself in this morning. And several florists. And a city planner, who came _highly_ recommended from several very high up friends. That is how you take your coffee, isn't it?"

"Um," Kara offers, somewhat dazed, and takes an absent sip. It should be hot enough to scald a normal human being, but she carefully decides not to comment when Kara looks up again without even the slightest reddening of her skin, "yes? Generally?"

"Cream and milk?" She presses, trying her very hardest to be gentle and calm and _trustworthy_. Like somebody worthy of entrusting any number of secrets to, "incredibly unhealthy, of course, but I suppose there's nothing really to worry about with your metabolism. Or, indeed, your entirely enviable figure."

"I suppose not," Kara offers, slightly strangled, and finally turns to look at her. The wideness of her eyes is slightly unexpected, but she supposes she can work with that, "are those... Lilies?"

"Calla lilies," she provides eagerly, with a smile. Is only a little discouraged, as Kara only tilts her head just slightly and blinks at her like she's not quite sure how to react, "you used to put them on your desk sometimes, so I assumed that you liked them. If you don't..."

"They're alright," Kara manages, voice slightly strangled.

"...I can always get Alfonso, the main florist, to bring in something different," she provides quickly, is somewhat dismayed to find herself feeling slightly awkward. In all of her plans, in all of the movies her and Carter watched as research, this moment was never really awkward. Triumphant, sure. Joyous, definitely. _Romantic_ \- "you know, Kara, I pride myself on being good at surprises."

"Well," Kara offers, still staring at her in confusion. Not complete and utter confusion, but close enough to be dispiriting, "my office being turned into a garden is most certainly that."

"It's one of my special skills," she forges on, determined to stick to the script no matter how wrong this is going. It's odd, how disappointing this all is. Like she actually _cared_ , properly cared, about it being triumphant and joyous and... Okay, fine, yes. _Romantic_. She wanted it to be romantic, "Along with keeping secrets."

"Secrets?" Kara stares at her flatly for a long few seconds, confusion fading to wariness. And, wonderful, _that's_ another unexpected disappointment too "...What sort of secrets?"

"Getting this all in here without you noticing, for one," she provides stubbornly, even through the disappointment and the faint surprise and the odd _acceptance_ of this attraction to Kara that's been building quietly for years now, "keeping it in here without the rest of the office gossiping over it, for another... And you."

"Me?" Kara asks, confusion turning her pretty blue eyes a little darker. A little like a stormcloud, as opposed to the sky on a sunny day.

"When you were my assistant," she starts, resigned to how she finds that beautiful too. About as resigned as she is to forging through this, no matter how briefly uncomfortable it may well be, "I never told anybody about all the amazing things you could do. I never told anybody about the way my coffee always got to me hot, the way you could type so very fast, the way you always seemed to know what I wanted no matter the situation. You were my little secret, and I..."

She trails off, Kara's confusion dark eyes still fixed on her with an intensity that is exciting and terrifying all at once.

"...And I protected you," she shifts her shoulders slightly, finishes on a slight smile because she can offer up literally nothing else, "just as I always will, no matter what."

Kara stares at her silently for a long few seconds, confusion fading to a quiet kind of consideration. And she thinks, _hopes_ , just briefly that maybe this will be it. That maybe Kara will open her beautiful mouth, confess her secret, smile that ever so charming smile and be open to whatever else could lie between them...

"Um," Kara says instead, and takes another slow sip of her coffee like she's not quite sure what else to do with her hands, "well, I suppose it's nice that you didn't actually consider me _completely_ incompetent all the time I worked for you."

 _Well_.

...She supposes, as she narrowly resists the urge to just cut her losses and bolt, that this is exactly what she deserves for taking romantic advice from a teenage boy.

 

\--

 

4.

She decides to take a pause from the whole 'attempting to draw water from a stone' saga for a while, regroup and examine her feelings in slightly more detail. She's been too hasty, too _desperate_ in a way that can really only be described as embarrassing. Kara deserves better. They _both_ deserve better, and until she figures out what that better actually is it's best to take a centring step away from the situation.

Unfortunately, just because _she's_ decided to take a step back doesn't mean that the rest of the universe has decided to follow her exceptionally sensible example.

"Why," she asks waspishly, after the latest entirely joyous supervillain attack, "does _anybody_ think it's a good idea to attack before nine in the morning?"

"They're supervillains," Kara, dressed up in her usual Supergirl garb, sighs. Tightens her arms around her as they start to approach the CatCo rooftop, "I hate to state the obvious, Cat, but their decision making skills aren't exactly that great."

"This last incident was idiotic even for a supervillain, though," she huffs, tightens her arms a little around Kara's neck. Even if she has decided to reconsider her stance, just a little, she's hardly a saint capable of resisting the allure of being carried around in her beloved's arms, "I mean, deciding to attack a _coffee_ shop."

"I know."

"Just before work, when literally _everybody_ has decided to get their morning cup of coffee," she frowns, barely represses a pout as Kara properly starts the descent towards the rooftop, "honestly, it's lucky for her that you arrived in time. If you hadn't..."

"People would've rioted?" Kara asks wryly, touching down with her usual amount of gracefulness. It always used to puzzle her, how the woman could be so elegant as Supergirl and so clumsy as Kara Danvers. Now, the contrast seems about as charming as the rest of her, "that's me, eternally good at crowd control."

"I'd say what you do is rather more than that," she allows herself to hold on for a second more after they've touched down, only then pulls away. Desperate, yet again, but never say that Cat Grant isn't a woman who makes the very best out of what little she gets, "well, thank you yet again. I'm sorry that I threw myself wildly into danger, as you explicitly forbade, but I hope you can see that I couldn't exactly _help_ it this time."

"I am capable of seeing basic context," Kara snorts, but doesn't seem particularly annoyed. Her eyes are almost... Fond, in fact. Soft in a way that's about as alluring as the rest of her, "and you don't have to thank me, it's just what I do."

"That doesn't mean you don't deserve to be thanked," she says sincerely, offers an only slightly awkward smile as Kara blinks at her, "even if it is just your job, even if it's basically in your DNA... You still deserve to be thanked for it. For the way you go above and beyond, for the way that you always try no matter what, for the way that you inspire good things even if just in the smallest ways."

Kara keeps staring at her, blinking slowly. The rooftop is wide and windy and faintly distracting, but somehow there's nothing outside of the two of them, "Cat..."

"No, don't contradict me. I'm _trying_ to develop as a person," she smirks, shakes her head. Does one of the hardest things she ever has, and steps slowly away from Kara's ever so wide eyes, "failing, perhaps, but trying. I'll see you soon, Supergirl, try not to get eaten by yet another monster before then."

Kara remains stubbornly in her place, still staring at her with those ever so wide eyes.

"Come on now," she says firmly, steps back firmly with her chin raised and her voice authoritative, "don't you have to get back to... Saving kittens from trees, or something of the sort?"

"Cat."

"Supergirl..."

"You have changed," Kara interrupts her, voice so sincere that it can't be anything but the truth, and offers her a small smile before she leaps quickly off the rooftop, "even if you don't see it, you _have_."

 

-

 

She thought she was long past the point of actually being touched, she's the ice queen in charge of a worldwide media company after all, but Kara's last comment gets to her for some reason. Worms firmly into her heart, leaving warmth in its wake as she makes her way down the stairs. To know that somebody like Supergirl, somebody like _Kara_ , holds her in such high regard...

Well.

She hasn't been a teenager for a while, but the last time she felt like this was back then. She feels faintly fizzy, like she could walk on air. She feels almost like she could sing and dance, paint how happy she is all over the walls. She feels... Happy.

So happy that she doesn't notice that Kara, as _Kara_ this time, is next to her until she's almost barged past. Only stops at the last second, turns to the woman with a faint smile still lingering on her lips, "Kara."

"Ms Grant," Kara greets her brightly, also with a faint touch of that Supergirl smile still lingering.

"You're so fast," she offers absently, and watches with some interest as a brief blush blossoms on Kara's cheeks. So, she can provoke that reaction. She's not going to pretend that such a thing doesn't please her in an entirely obvious way, "I'm not sure I tell you how much I appreciate that, or you, enough."

"Um..." Kara offers, a touch uncertain with that blush - but also that _smile_ \- still lingering on her face.

"So, what can I do for you this morning?"

Kara, still blushing and faintly uncertain, nods and leads her willingly back to her office. The room is slightly dark, she makes an absent minded note to see a builder about getting a window installed, but is private enough to make up for a lot. She settles in her usual chair as Kara closes the door, offers up an encouraging smile as the woman turns back to her.

"I want to get your opinion on an article idea that I have," Kara starts firmly, attempting to seem her usual level of nervous. It works well enough, apart from that faint smile that keeps lingering distractingly around her lips, "you see, I was thinking... Why not interview Daniel Pendergast?"

"Decay, you mean?" She blinks, tilts her head slightly as Kara only gives a firm nod in response, "interesting. But why would you want to do that?"

"Because his side of the story deserves to be told," Kara says simply, like its obvious. And _that_ is why she likes the woman so much, her endless ability to do the best possible thing and make it seem like it's just what anybody would do, "I mean, when something like this happens literally all of the headlines are just 'monster attacks city'. They never bother to ask about the other side of things, about _why_ the monster attacks the city and why they felt like that was their only option."

"That..." She trails off slowly, somewhat captivated by the firm look in Kara's eyes, "is a distressing trend, I will admit. And one that probably should be corrected. But tell me, Kara, how on earth will you accomplish this? Isn't Decay - sorry, _Daniel_ \- currently locked up in some government facility that desperately wants to pretend that it's secret?"

"Yes," Kara gives, seeming reluctant to even acknowledge this slight barrier to her plan. As reluctant as she always is, to give up on anything, "but I'm pretty sure I can convince somebody to give me a tour, or something. It can't be _that_ hard, right?"

"Hm," she says, and deliberately stops herself before commenting on how it can't be that hard for _Supergirl_ , "I suppose not. And you're sure it'll be safe?"

"Um," Kara stares at her wide-eyed, like she's not entirely sure why that'd be a factor. She wonders, briefly, if Lois Lane ever feels like this. She wonders, even more briefly, if _Superman_ ever feels like this - watching somebody he cares about throw herself into the heart of the sun over and over again, "yes, probably? Not really sure why that'd be an issue, but-"

"I care about your safety, Kara."

"-I'm sure it'll be absolutely _fine_ ," Kara grinds to a halt, one that'd be entirely hilarious if it was somebody else endlessly risking themselves. Blinks at her, gone wide-eyed and adorable yet again, "um, really?"

"Of course," she provides, trying to make the very idea sound obvious. Judging by the way Kara's eyes widen again, the way her jaw goes faintly slack, it just about manages to be successful, "it's yet another thing I don't tell you enough, I suppose, but I _would_ feel rather sad if you got yourself hurt chasing some story."

"Oh," Kara blinks at her, a slow and scarlet blush starting to spread across her face, "I... Okay, are you _completely_ sure about that?"

"About as sure as I am of your reporting prowess," she offers honestly, sighs at the slightly confused expression on Kara's face. Damn her past self, now she's going to have to go above and beyond just to prove the utterly obvious, "and that you're an exceptionally good person, and that you always try your hardest no matter your situation, and that you live downtown in an apartment not worthy of you, and that your eyes are an entirely _beautiful_ shade of blue."

"I- I-" forget slow. The blush spreading across Kara's face is travelling like wildfire, turning her bright red in a way that can only be described as _completely_ captivating, "Ms Grant, are you _feeling_ alright?"

"Never better," she says, and rises from her chair. Makes her way towards Kara, standing frozen on the spot by her desk, "I care about you, Kara, even if I haven't ever done the best job of showing it. I think you're beautiful, intelligent, charming... And, quite honestly, one of the best women I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. If you got hurt, because of me-"

The breath catches, brief and painful in her lungs. Kara, having obviously heard it, continues to stare at her - wide-eyed, and almost _hopeful_ in a way that's suddenly impossible to miss.

"Well, I suppose I wouldn't be able to live with myself," she finishes, in an attempt to be brisk. Gets caught, yet again, in the blue of Kara's eyes and somehow finds herself tender instead. It's so simple, so absolutely _easy_ , to take that final step and reach her hand up to touch the woman's cheek, "look, Kara..."

And she thinks, for a moment so long that it might as well be an eternity, that this is going to be _it_. That Kara is going to take the obvious invitation, lean up to kiss her and let things progress naturally from there. That several hours later, after they've hashed out everything in detail and decided to make a proper go of it, an entirely obvious confession will be made and accepted in quick measure. That they're actually going to get what they both _want_ , for once...

"I, um, should go tell my contact that it'll be fine," Kara blurts, at the last moment, and darts away. Heads for the door at a barely visible speed, face still so red that it's a miracle she doesn't actually burst into flames, "nice chat, Ms Grant. See you later, i-if you don't get eaten by a monster before then!"

 

\--

 

5\. 

Kara avoids her borderline religiously for the next few days. And she's always been good at teasing the meaning out of incredibly small details, but she can't quite understand _why_. It would be understandable if Kara hadn't wanted the contact, if the reason she was darting away like a startled rabbit every time they even came close to interacting was because of her utter lurching horror at getting involved with her boss, but...

No.

She's a lot of things, but low in self-confidence is most certainly not one of them. She saw the look in Kara's eyes, the smile upon Supergirl's face. The woman _wants_ her, likes her in a way that obviously goes beyond the simple and platonic.

Which makes it even more confusing, the way that she's started to less than subtly avoid even the shadow of her presence every moment of every day.

Luckily, although it barely counts as _luck_ , even though Kara can just about manage to avoid her Supergirl can do nothing of the sort. She has a _job_ , and that job involves saving various mere mortals from the regular alien attacks that happen to trouble them. This time that mere mortal - although she _shirks_ at the term - is her, and the alien is a former Kryptonian soldier with a grudge and an over the top fondness for flame. 

And throwing people off buildings, can't forget the throwing people off buildings.

"Thank you for saving me, Supergirl," she sighs softly, as Kara sets her firmly back on the ground a decent distance from the rampaging villain of the week. And she really should just leave it at that, she should _actually_ be patient for once and allow Kara to figure out whatever knots are within her head... But, well, that's never quite been her _style_ , "I haven't seen you around much, lately."

"There have been alien attacks in other parts of the city," even as Supergirl, Kara seems determined to avoid her eyes. It doesn't exactly _hurt_ , but it does produce an obscure kind of ache that's more troubling than she ever thought it'd be, "as much as I'd like to, I can't be at your side 24-7, Ms- Cat."

"Hm," she says. And considers, very carefully, the way that no aliens had shown up for about a _week_ before their Kryptonian irritant, "you'd really like to?"

"I..." Kara flushes a little, continues to stubbornly look away, "I should get back to stopping Zora."

"Of course," she nods, hesitates for a second... And then just _has_ to carry on, before Kara can do more than tense in preparation for leaping into the air and shooting off to do her ever so important heroine thing, "I just wanted to know, that's all."

Kara, to her credit, doesn't just fly off. Only looks slightly stricken, like she _desperately_ doesn't want to be having this conversation, "Cat..."

"I don't know how you feel," she interrupts bluntly, takes a step forwards until she's right in Kara's space. Just like she was about a week ago, when they were standing in the woman's office and she was staring up at her like she desperately wanted to be kissed, "or what you want, Supergirl. You smile at me, you say that you trust me, you look at me like you want to _kiss_ me... But then you avoid me for about a week, you act like you don't even want to see me, you refuse to trust me with _anything_ real about you."

Kara looks up at her suddenly, wide-eyed. She seems somewhat uncertain, somewhat _wary_ , but there's a dark shade of determination there that she's not sure she's ever seen before, "do I?"

"It's confusing," she offers honestly, vulnerably. Smirks at only the last moment, to cover the way she feels so _raw_ around Kara, "even to somebody like me, which is no mean feat. I just want to know where we stand, how you feel, what we _are_ to each other."

Kara stares at her for a long moment, silent and not moving away. The determination remains, firm in a way that still unsettles her "...If I could stay with you and guard you all the time, I would."

She draws in a sharp breath, somehow stunned by the revelation even though she'd guessed at most of it already. Can't quite resist the urge to lean in at it, at the sheer _truth_ of it. Press her hand to the side of Kara's face again, see her eyelashes flutter, lean in to taste the sweetness of her lips...

"But I _can't_ ," and be stunned, like a punch straight to the gut, as Kara turns her face away. Steps back in the next moment, with eyes blazing and expression oddly _angry_ , "and not just because I have to - I _want_ to - protect everybody in National City. I care for you, I care for you _so_ much, but I just can't trust you. I want to let my guard down with you, I want to be vulnerable... But every time I try, you just keep pushing for more. And I just can't deal with that, not on top of everything else."

She steps back herself, stunned. Can only stare for a long few moments, stunned and hurt and... Guilty. Deeply guilty, in a way that she hasn't ever really felt before.

"I'm sorry," Kara says, small and somewhat guilty herself, and glances at the sky again. Shakes her head, before bracing and lifting off again, "I really do have to go deal with Zora now. I'll... I'll see you around, Cat. Sooner than last time, alright?"

 

-

 

"So, what are you calling the latest alien threat?"

She's still not sure if she's ever going to have an _easy_ relationship with her oldest son, but they are at least both trying. They both have busy lives, they're both fairly in demand people, but they manage to schedule in at least one Skype call every week. She tries not to talk too much about herself, he tries not to charge across the boundaries of being an asshole on a regular basis. It's... Nice. Nice, in the way that most things that go better than expected are.

Even if she is rather distracted today, by the look in Kara's eyes when she rejected her. She looks up at Adam's expectant face, has to blink several times before his words filter through "...The latest alien threat? Oh, the Kryptonian. I haven't really considered it, to be honest."

"You haven't?" Adam asks, looking somewhat sceptical.

"She was rather keen on her fire motif, as well as throwing people off buildings and making dramatic proclamations in midair," she says deliberately, trying to keep her mind on subject, "so. Something like Black Fire, possibly? How does that sound to you?"

"I think Black Fire is already taken, by some villain down in Florida," Adam shrugs, keeps looking sceptical, "you might want to use something else, for brand recognition."

"Hm," She summons up a smile in response, but that only seems to make the problem worse. Wonderful, she should've known that wouldn't work on any child of hers, "something similar, then, but distinctive. How does Black Flame sound to you?"

"You're the journalist, you'd know better than me," Adam shrugs, but not bitterly. She's starting to know him a little better now, after months of actually interacting. He seems more curious, than anything, "but it seems a good enough name, for a supervillain who likes fire and throwing people off buildings. Just as _you_ seem a bit distracted."

"Adam..." She starts, but when her son only smiles at her reconsiders. The curiosity is obvious by now, shining on his face. It reminds her somewhat of herself, "well, I was one of the people thrown off a building."

"That's happened to you before, and you've never been this shaken up about it," Adam pauses, seems to realize the insanity that's just come out of his mouth and winces as a result "...Christ. The point _is_ that I know that's not actually what's bothering you. So you might as well tell me what is, and stop looking so distracted about it."

She considers, for a brief second, denying it absolutely. Or making a counter accusation. Or even just pulling the 'mom' card, and telling him to watch his tongue... But no. She needs to talk to somebody about this. And Carter, for all his positive traits, isn't quite mature enough to give her the support she needs here, "it's Supergirl."

"Ah," Adam rolls his eyes, like it's _obvious_ , "you finally told her how you feel?"

She's not generally an expressive person, and _certainly_ not the type to make a fool out of herself over such a simple statement, but she can't help but _stare_ at that. Barely stops her jaw from dropping open, at such a simple statement of the facts, "how did you _know_?"

"I saw you interacting with each other for about five seconds, and even I could see what was going on there," Adam shrugs a little, kindly hides his amusement at her obvious shock behind one of his hands, "don't worry, I have no problem with it. There's a bit of an age difference there, but if that didn't stop Harrison Ford it definitely shouldn't stop you. How did it go?"

She stares at him for a long second, silent and barely resisting the urge to actively _gawp_ like a _fool_.

"...Not well, I'm guessing by that awkward silence?"

"It's not awkward, it's _stunned_ ," she mutters defensively, and shakes her head. Decides to just resign herself to the way that her life is going now, and save herself the trouble, "I did tell her how I felt, yes - though I'm not sure how you knew about it in advance, considering I only figured it out myself a few weeks ago - and in response she... Rejected me."

"Rejected you?"

"She said that she couldn't trust me, that I pushed her too much for her to ever feel comfortable," she hesitates for a second, staring into Adam's surprisingly sympathetic eyes, and sighs, "and she was right. I wanted her to reveal her identity to me, so I pressured her. I wanted her to see me in a romantic light, so I pressured her again. I wanted her to do exactly what would be most convenient for me, and so... Well, you can probably guess what I did by this point. I behaved terribly to her, at every single turn."

Adam takes this in, nodding for a long second. He looks like he wants to protest that, but thankfully holds back the urge "...So what are you going to do about it?"

"Do?" For a more confusing one, granted, but she can work with that. She blinks at him for a second, shakes her head firmly as he only arches a patient eyebrow at her in response, "I have practice in repression, as you well know. I'm not going to pressure her any more, I'm not going to try and force her into things that she doesn't want to do. My feelings will fade eventually, and if they don't... Well, that's my problem. _Not_ hers."

Adam tilts his head at her, looking somewhat incredulous. A long second of silence ticks by, in which she wonders what exactly he expects her to _say_ , and then he lets out a low huff, "you want to know what I think?"

"Well, apparently this _is_ the day for masochism," she huffs, winces a little only afterwards as Adam rolls his eyes "...I mean, shoot."

"It doesn't sound like she doesn't _want_ you to pursue her," Adam says deliberately, carries on quickly even as she opens her mouth to argue, "it just sounds like she wants you to pursue her in a slightly different way. Do you remember the first time that we met up again, properly?"

"How could I forget?" She nods honestly, slowly as his words start to seep in, "I talked mainly about myself for hours, you thought I was selfish and strongly considered never seeing me ever again."

"Until you tried again. Came back to me, respected my wishes and allowed us to work it out _together_ ," Adam continues, giving her the slightest smile. And if she hadn't been glad to reunite with her son before, that moment would sure cement it, "look, if I'm wrong and K- _Supergirl_ actually doesn't want you to pursue her then giving up is obviously the way to go. But if I'm right... Cat, mom, you _can't_ just turn away from something that's so important to you. You have to be brave, as brave as Supergirl has always thought you are."

She stares at her son for a long moment, stunned and faintly teary.

...She smiles, slow and determined. Because she finally, _finally_ , knows how it's going to work out.

 

\--

 

+1

She doesn't act rashly this time, because she _is_ capable of learning her lesson even if only once in a blue moon. Instead she thinks about Adam's words, dwells on them, considers them as fully as she possibly can.

This is important, after all. _Kara_ is important, and deserves all the focus she can possibly muster.

...The woman does want her. She's not really in the habit of denial these days, not since Supergirl burst onto the scene in all her glory, and that fact would be impossible to ignore even if she was. Kara has had a crush on her for years now, one only narrowly hidden by thick glasses and her nervous smile. As Supergirl, free and bold and brave, there's no chance of hiding it - her regard shines from her face, glows warmly in her eyes like a call home.

But she doesn't want to be forced.

Nobody likes to feel pressured, to feel pressed down even by something that they actually want. Even Supergirl, in all her glory, is no exception to such a universal rule. She wants to fly, to make her own choices, to be as _free_ as the air all around her. Pressing the issue, hurrying her before she's entirely ready, is a disaster waiting to happen. One so potent that it's a miracle it hasn't already blown up in her face.

...So what's the solution, to a situation that she's already almost pushed beyond repair? What's the perfect line, between showing her interest and dropping it down like a rock upon Kara's head?

It takes a while, _days_ of thought with Kara avoiding her gaze and Kara as Supergirl not even flying by her balcony, but that's alright. All things that are worth it, in her experience, take a little time. And when she does come up with a solution, right in the middle of a meeting she's barely paying attention to, it feels so right that she can't help but smile at it.

She finds James Olsen in his office, absent-mindedly staring at his camera like it's some kind of talisman. She waits for a moment, debating over politely announcing her presence, but in the end just settles for a sharp throat clearing and a smile when the man shoots upwards with wide eyes. She's turning over a new leaf, after all, _not_ going for sainthood.

"Ms Grant!"

"You're friends with Supergirl, aren't you?" She sighs at herself, holds up her hand before he can do more than blink at her in confusion, "nevermind, that was a foolish question and I am never in the habit of such things. Can you tell her that I want to talk to her? Tonight, on top of the building."

"Uh," James stares at her for a long moment. Slowly shuts his gawping mouth, and ever so slowly shakes his head, "Don't take this the wrong way, but... I'm not so sure she wants to see you right now."

"I know," she says, and it's only long experience that stops her from wincing at the words as they come out of her mouth. She's really come far too close to ruining everything for her liking, she's determined to fix that mistake as soon as she possibly can, "but, please, at least ask her for me. Tell her it's important? And... And that I want to apologize, before it's too late."

James stares at her for a long few seconds, eyes dark. And she braces herself, inevitably, for the worst... "I'll see what I can do."

"That's all I can ask," she smiles, relief coming out of her in a rush. So nice, after such a long time spent worrying. She leaves the room with almost a bounce in her step.

 

-

 

"Cat, I told you-" Kara comes to a halt as she lands on the rooftop, stares at the blanket spread in front of her with an expression of bafflement spreading across her face. The whole thing took days to set up, accountants called and chefs paid off and caterers in her _private_ elevator, but it's entirely worth it for the flash of shock across that face, "what... What is this?"

"I wasn't sure what your favourite dessert was," she lies, a little white one this time, and gestures deliberately to the apple pie she's laid right at the centre, "so I just ordered all of them. I hope that's alright?"

"Cat..." Kara stares around her for a second more, and then honest to god smiles. She knew that she'd missed it, but she only realizes how much when something in her chest clenches at the sight, "this is amazing. Nobody has ever done _anything_ like this for me before."

"Then everybody else is a fool," she smiles truthfully, waits until Kara clearly makes the decision to stay - walks over to her with that smile still lingering on her face, even under all the growing wariness, "I assume that Jimmy - sorry, _James_ Olsen photojournalist extraordinaire, told you why I asked you here today."

"He didn't tell me about the pie," Kara says, with such a lack of guile that she falls in love all over again.

...Huh. Well, she supposes there are worse realisations to have at such a moment. She smiles slightly, shoving the instinctive coil of panic in her stomach back into the darkness where it belongs, steps forwards a little herself and is charmed when Kara doesn't even shift a bit in result, "I'm not very good at apologising."

"Um," Kara's eyes, this close, are back to their usual shade of sky blue. They're also, she's quite amused to see, rather confused, "you're not actually-"

"No. Let me finish, before I trip and revert to my usual bulldozer personality and ruin everything yet again," she takes a deep breath, lowers her hands and is as charmed as ever when Kara only frowns and makes the obvious decision to let her carry on, "I... Am sorry. I was pushy, and selfish, and treated you with far less respect than you ever deserve to be treated. I acted like I didn't care about you, or your feelings, or what _you_ actually wanted. And if I acted like that, I can't blame you for what you assumed."

"Okay," Kara nods slowly, still frowning, "that... Was actually a fairly good apology."

"I'm not sure what you expected, when I said that was what I was going to do," she says wryly, sighs at herself immediately and carries on before Kara can do more than give a slightly confusing smirk, "no, don't answer that. I know what I'm like. And while I refuse to make an apology for that most of the time, you still deserve better. You deserve sonnets and overdramatic gestures from rom-coms and everything your heart desires. You deserve what _you_ want, not what anybody else decides you do."

Kara bites her lip for a long moment, nods slowly. She looks like she's thinking the matter through as deeply as she's been the fast few days, at superspeed as befits a true Kryptonian "...Cat, I _do_ want you. It's just-"

"You don't want to be pushed, or pressured, or forced in any way," she provides, heart swelling a little at _those_ words, and smiles as Kara gives another ever so slow and thoughtful nod, "I didn't understand that before, but I think I do now. And that's why I called you here, to apologise properly and to actually offer you a choice."

"Well, that's one out of two done," Kara replies kindly, bursts into her own ever bright smile, "what's this choice you want to give me?"

"You can fly away now, and I'll accept the fact that I can never contact you again outside of emergencies," she offers, proud of the way her voice barely wobbles over such a ghastly prospect. Because Kara deserves a proper choice, not one influenced by guilt, "or you can sit here, enjoying the finest desserts National City has to offer, and give me another chance. One to make it right, one to not pressure you, one to show you just how happy I can make you."

Kara stares at her for a long moment, silent with her smile fading.

"...Or a mixture of those things," she offers hurriedly, absently amused at how Kara is eternally the only one capable of shaking the ice queen facade, "or neither of those things, if you so prefer. The choice is entirely up to you, Supergirl, and no matter what you decide to do or say I will support you no matter-"

There's a quick blur, and suddenly Kara is right in front of her and leaning in. Her lips, now that she has time to appreciate them, are softer than she ever dreamed. She's a clumsy kisser, obviously holding back and slightly bumpy into the bargain, but the warmth of her is enough to make up for any number of faults. It's hardly the most _technically_ perfect kiss she's ever received, but the swell of sheer _joy_ in her chest tells her that the technical aspect hardly matters that much in this case.

...It makes her happy.

It makes her _happy_. Happier than she ever thought she could be, before Kara charged into her life.

"Well," she whispers when they part, actually has to lick her lips to buy herself time to find the words to carry on, "Um, well. I _suppose_ that counts as a decision?"

"Cat," Kara whispers warmly, and leans in again to bump their foreheads together. Her wonderful former assistant, her _Supergirl_ here to save the very darkest of days, "Ms _Grant_. I'm always gonna choose you, no matter what."


End file.
